


Family

by KansasPhoto



Category: Prison Break
Genre: F/M, Lincoln/Veronica, Lincoln/Veronica/Michael, M/M, Multi, Sara/Michael
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-10
Updated: 2016-08-10
Packaged: 2018-07-23 20:23:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7478685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KansasPhoto/pseuds/KansasPhoto
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sara decides to win Michael back.</p>
          </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Sarah was supposed to be working on a legal document, but she still couldn’t get over what had happened last week. He had left her. Her husband whom she still loved, dammit! was leaving her because…well now wasn’t that the thing? He had said it was because he wanted her to be happy, but wasn’t she happy before? He wanted to give her a chance at real love. But what was tearing her apart inside if it wasn’t real love?!

She had thought that maybe Michael and his sister in law V were having an affair, but no, V was too happy with Linc, and it was all in her imagination. And her jealousy. She knew they were close; growing up together in the same building, almost next door. That V had always been around Linc & Michael and even acted like his mother at times. That they shared memories she never would know. Maybe that was the crux of it? She couldn’t tell.

So wasn’t it more natural Michael, who was still Mikey to V and Linc, to be more playful and relaxed with her than even his own wife? What should that matter? Still, there was a doubt. There was something there. Something she couldn’t place a finger on.

Oh she shushed it and told it to go away, it couldn’t be possible. But she noticed every time V was around Mikey was … somehow more relaxed. More … not inside his own walls, in his own head, lost in his work.

Sometimes, she thought, he wore his work around the in apartment like a cape. And she wanted to remove that cape, and see his wide smile and feel him relax beside her on the sofa watching tv… joking with her over dinner. Like he did with V and Linc.

She wanted to do that to him, for him… to bring Michael out of his thoughts and show him the world, or her world, or her. Whatever.

It wasn’t as if they treated her badly when they all got together. No, they all three seemed happy to know her. They spent most nights together doing family things. They treated her as a close dear friend, if not family. Just not as family as the three were to each other. And that was nothing to be jealous over, right? After all, life long friends were…well, close. Right?

 

She was missing something and it was a wall between her and Michael. It wasn’t like her to not figure out a problem. To sus out who was doing what to whom. It’s what made her a good lawyer.

She started to watch Linc, to see if he felt it too, felt V breathe a little too soft toward his little brother. But he seemed, well, she didn’t honestly know because she had never seen Linc without V or Mike, so who was she to know how Linc acted? But jealousy didn’t seem to be it.

She had no idea what possessed her to show up at the dock where Linc worked one day and tell his boss she had an appointment to have lunch with him. She was too dressed. Too proper. Too fragile among the rough men. She felt out of place waiting on Linc to come up to the office. She declined the offer to sit and waited for Linc by the door.

When Linc came in the office he glanced at her, told his boss a quick “be back after” and he stepped out onto the street with her. It seemed as if he had been expecting her. As if he knew all along she would some day come to him. Wanting answers to questions she wondered if she dare ask. Wondered if she really wanted answers.

Amid the whistles and cat calls Linc just threw up a finger and kept walking beside her. He kept his face down and his eyes hooded. He opened the door to the dinner and eased her into the booth. She had no idea what to do with her hands and since there was no menu on the table, she grabbed a napkin and twisted it between her delicate fingers.

Linc didn’t seem to need a menu. It seemed as if Linc knew what he wanted and this meeting wasn’t on that list.

He ordered for them both and sat back to watch her. He never asked why she came by. He just ate his burger in silence. Linc is a quiet man, she knew, but he was quieter even than she had ever heard, if that made any since. She felt him study her as she picked at her salad.

After the lunch Linc and V didn’t come over as much. They didn’t go downtown to see them either. No one said anything. It was if her lunch with Linc had broken something. Something without her saying a word. The double dates were gone as if they never existed. The family-ness of movie night together at Linc’s & V’s place was gone without a trace.

Days and nights melted away. Michael took her to dinner and a few plays and even a work party he said he couldn’t get out of. He sat around the apartment they shared in his tie more often and talked with her about anything she brought up, except Linc and V. He would always get a tight line around his mouth and say they were fine, he had only spoke to them earlier that day from work and they were busy.

She knew she had stepped on something; broken something between them but she didn’t know what or how to fix it. It wasn’t as if she meant to send Linc and V away. Did she?

She just wanted to know Linc better is all. Why is that so wrong?!

How many times had he eaten with just V while Linc was at work before she came along?

The three of then had lived together for years after Michael got out of college. They had to have eaten without Linc, right? So just what was wrong with her eating with just Linc? Isn’t that what in-laws did?

 

~~~~~~

Later that night she sat on her nice plush sofa and drank expensive wine and watched the rain.

It had been happenstance that she met Michael at all. She had forgotten her umbrella the one day it decided to flood and he shared a cab with her. It was love at first sight, for her, at least. She pressed her business card into his hand before giving him a peck on the cheek and leaving the cab that day.

It had been two weeks afterwards when he finally called, she had almost forgotten him altogether, except she hadn’t. He had occupied her night and even her days to the point her friend at work warned her to pay attention or that lech Bagwell was gonna corner her in the stairwell one evening. 

That snapped her to reality quick, only Michael called that evening. He was out of sorts, she could tell. He voice was warm, but tight. He wanted to know if she would join him for drinks. She jumped at the chance, and felt foolish for being so quick to say yes after two weeks on nothing. She stammered out the name of a bar on the corner of a classy business block and he agreed to be there in 30 minutes. She was there in fifteen.

The wedding was modest, he didn’t have much family and neither did she. Well, her family lived mostly a state away while Michael said his only family was his older brother Linc and his wife V. Bagwell showed up, as did her friend from work and her boss. She was glad Michael or Linc was always nearby because she never like the way Bagwell looked at her with lust, and now hardness in his eyes. Her friend was happy for her and admitted a bit jealous of her too. Her boss wished her well and went to get a drink from the bar.

The honeymoon was nice, but Michael spent some time on the phone with Linc and or V much of the time the first day or so. Until Linc, apparently, told him to go enjoy his honeymoon, and stop being a jerk. Michael was sorry, he just had never been away from Linc & V, except for college, which he went to college in the city, so not really ever. She thought that was sweet.

Now she wondered how she could have been so naive. Maybe Michael had always loved V, and he married her to prove he didn’t? No, that didn’t seem right. Michael didn’t seem like that kind of man. But he was a man who loved his sister in law a little too much? How could she think that of him? Sweet, tender Michael. Who made love to her slowly and tenderly and made sure she was happy above himself every time. How could she doubt him?

Still she thought she should have been better prepared when she came home one afternoon and Michael was standing in the entryway of their apartment with his old gym bag at his feet. She didn’t realize he still had the old thing, but there it sat, apparently full and waiting to leave and take Michael with it. The thought made her want to kick the dirty old gray thing, but she didn’t.

She had just looked sadly at Mikey and kissed his cheek good bye.


	2. I am family too

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sara decides to win Michael back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first chapter can be a stand alone, but I wanted to do more, and I think this is a good bridge to more chapters.... let's see.

Sara had been getting no sleep since Michael left her two weeks ago. She still didn’t know what happened, but she knew she loved him and wanted him back. She was a good attorney; she could figure this out.

She jerked hangers back and forth in her closet with an angry scrape but nothing appeared that would do. She tossed clothes from her drawers. Finally in the back of the closet in a box labeled “to donate” she found an old band t-shirt and a ratty pair of jeans that would work. 

She dressed in her pretty underwear, Michael’s favorite, because who said she couldn’t fight dirty? Then she put on the old clothes that fit her like a glove and were so soft. She slid a hand down her own ass, yeah, real nice. These will work. 

Michael would take her back if he could just see she could fit in with his family. She slipped on her tennis shoes and put her hair in a pony tail. 

Sara slipped on her oldest jacket and grabbed her keys and her purse and closed her door behind her. She took a cab to the bowling alley where she knew Michael, Linc and V bowled every week. She used to go there to, but never this causally dressed. 

She went in and got her a pair of bowling shoes. 

She got a lane and a beer. 

Finally, she was ready. 

She bowled two frames before they came in. She was so nervous she almost spilt her beer. She watched as they stood at the counter so close they bumped each other but they were all smiles and laughter. How could they laugh when she was falling apart?! She bowled a gutter ball. This was not going to help. She took a breath and felt the ball in her hand. She pictured the throw. She stepped up and down the lane it went. A split. Still, better than a gutter ball. 

She went back to her seat and took another drink they were 4 lanes away getting their shoes on. She took another steadying breath and stepped up to the line. She threw the ball, watched it as it rolled down the lane then turned careful not to face them just yet, and took a gulp of the beer. She took up the bowling ball. She only had one left standing that time. She could do this. 

Then Michael was there. Right up in her space with a fierce whisper, “The hell you doing, Sara?!”

She almost got lost in his eyes, but looked down at his tight mouth and said “I’m bowling. Why?” 

“I can see that, Sara. Why are you here? You hate bowling! And you knew we were goin to be here!”

Sara took a breath and looked back at Michael, “I don’t hate bowling and yes, I knew you would be here.” She relaxed her shoulders, “I miss you, Michael…Mikey.”

Michael rubbed his hand over his short hair and sighed, “Sara, it isn’t gonna work. We just don’t fit.”

“How, Michael?” she asked. “How don’t we fit?” She stepped up against him. He took a quick breath and stepped back. “I can fix it,” she said. “Whatever is wrong, I can fix it.”

Michael looked to where Linc and V were watching with concern. Sara didn’t dare look over, she was too afraid she would see hate in their eyes.

“You can’t fix this, Sara. Please, go back to your apartment.”

“It’s our apartment, Michael, and I don’t want to be there without you. Please. I can do anything, but I can’t do that.”

Michael sighed. Again. He said, “Wait here,” and he left to go talk to Linc and V. Sara legs were shaking so badly she sat down hard enough to wobble the seat a little. She took another deep breath and a drink of beer. She would make this work.

She looked at her bowling ball then at the pins. She had even forgotten what she had scored on last throw. 

There was one lone pen standing at the end of the lane. 

“I don’t want to be one lone pen,” she thought to herself. She rubbed her hands on the sides of her legs to get rid of the sweat. She got up and picked up the bowling ball. She threw it and knocked the pin down with a smack. She turned to see Michael walking toward her.

He stepped up to her and said “Let’s go. I’ll take you home.” 

No, Michael,” she said firmly. “I want to be here with you. You and Linc and V. My family.”

“You don’t know what you’re sayin, Sara, please.” 

“Please Michael, let me stay? I…the apartment is too big and lonely.” She stepped closer to Michael. “I miss you. Please.”

Michael rubbed his head again and said, “Suit yourself. We can just leave….” 

“No!” Sara said grabbing his arm. The warm skin made her tingle like it always had, but she quickly let go.

“I’ll go. You stay and have fun,” Sara tried not to tear up as she quickly turned her head and sat down. She began to remove her shoe and Michael stepped away. Sara was brokenhearted and confused. She had tried to show Michael she could fit in with him and his family but he didn’t want her here. 

He was willing to walk away yet again to be rid of her. Oh how that fact sat hard in the pit of her stomach. 

She changed the shoe on her other foot and Michael stepped back up. Linc and V say you can join us if you want, but I will take you home after we are done bowling tonight. And you won’t come back here again. You hear me?” He warned. 

Sara smiled up at him, and then looked over at Linc & V who were watching. 

“Thank you, I really….” she swallowed. “I really don’t want to be alone.”

Michael looked at her sadly” I am sorry Sara, but I wont be staying with you there. Not tonight. Not ever again.”

Sara stood up and touched Michael on his cheek, “I don’t care where we are, just as long as I’m with you. I don’t need a fancy place on the Upper East Side, Michael, I just need you.”

Michael hung his head and said, “You don’t need me, Sara, but come on and bowl a game before I take you back.”

“Don’t take me back, please. I…” Sara caught the look on Michael’s face and knew she had better stop when she was ahead. “Just promise you will think about it?”

Michael nodded his head and helped her gather her things. 

She followed Michael to the counter to move her game over to their lanes and then followed Michael to their booth. 

“Hi,” V said welcoming Sara to their spot in the bowling alley. “I’m glad you came.”

Sara looked at V in the eye and seen her concern. She was filled with relief. “Thank you for having me”.

Linc just looked at them both and sat down to tie his shoes. He didn’t look her way again for a long time. 

Sara sat down beside of V and began to change back into the bowling alley’s shoes. 

Michael sat Sara’s beer on the table and said “I’ll go get us some bears. Be right back.”

Sara watched him go and then V’s hand was on her arm. She glanced down at it, elegant and natural. No polish, but they still looked nice. Then she looked back up at V.

“I am really glad you came.” she said again then she looked at Linc. “Nice to be with another girl sometimes.”

Linc grunted and got up. He took his ball and got ready to throw.

V settled back against the seat leaning close to Sara.

By the time Michael came back with the beers it was his turn and Sara’s game had been added to their two lanes. 

Sara really had nothing to do but watch while Michael, Linc and V catch up to her game. She watched Michael with hungry eyes. She had missed him terribly, even now she felt starved for the sight of him. 

V sat close to her and chatted about shoes, and the butcher and nothing really. Just like Sara had been there with them all along. Sara thought maybe it was a peace offering; a truce for thinking she was having an affair with her husband.

Finally Sara couldn’t take it anymore and said “I’m sorry. I don’t know what I’ve done, but I’m sorry,” and dammit if a tear didn’t threaten to fall. She looked away quickly and willed it to go away.

Michael sighed.

V laid her hand on Sara’s arm and said, “It wasn’t you specifically, it was…”

Linc growled and Sara’s stomach flipped over. Her eyes flew to his but he was looking at V. 

“It was no one’s fault,” V said. “These things happen.” 

Sara looked to V then back to Linc.

“What things? I don’t even know what happened to end my marriage!” Sara lowered her voice, “I still love Micha…Mikey just as much as the day I met him!”

“I’m sitting right here,” Michael said. “I can hear you.”

No one answered her so she continued,” So if I am happy with Mic…Mike but it’s over then he’s not happy with me…and I can fix that. I will do anything….”

V laid her hand, all soft and warm on her arm and said “Anything?”

“V” Linc growled and V removed her hand. 

Sara knew a life line when she heard it. “Yes! Yes, anything!”

Michael said “’M right here.”

Linc said “I need more than beer!”

V said “Come home with us.”

Linc and Michael exclaimed “What?!”

Sara said “Yes, thank you!”

Michael sighed. Again.

Linc said “I don’t think that would be a good idea, V.”

Sara looked at Linc glaring at her and at Michael who had slid down in his seat turning pink. Oh, now wasn’t *that* a good look on him?

Sara turned to glare at Linc, “So, it’s you who doesn’t want me in Michael’s life?!”

Finally Linc looked at her and with a snarl said, “Don’t go putting words in my mouth fancy lawyer lady! This is between you can Michael,” he looked over at V and said, " Just like I been saying; either it works or it don’t.”

“I. Can. Hear. You.” leaning in, Michael enunciates in a hard whisper. “And so can half the bowling alley!” He looked at Sara and said, “See, this is what I didn’t want to happen! And I didn’t want it to happen in front of everyone here most of all!” He cringed at the stares he was getting. 

Sara just focused on his lips and his words bounced around the edge of her brain but before she could catch them they were gone.


	3. Chapter 3

V took Sara by the hand and led her to the snack bar. She could see Sara was lost without Michael and she felt bad that she had pushed Michael towards her to begin with and then let him come home to them without a fight. 

 

As they waited on nachos and more beer V told Sara how she met Michael first. 

 

“He was a scrawny kid, with an attitude! And he just plowed into me in the stairwell and kept going. It was the day they moved in with their grandmother. Well, Linc comes charging after him yelling for him to get back in there, then he sees me and he stops. I mean, he almost tumbled he stopped so suddenly.” 

V laughed. “It was love at first sight. For Linc anyway. I was busy thinking about the boy 2 blocks over that had this small dirt bike. Of course I thought it was as big as a Harley and he was such a hunk.” 

Sara smiled because she could picture her doing the same thing. 

V smiled at the memory, “Turns out he was a punk who left me all the way across the river from home when he met a new girl who promised him second base. So I’m cryin’ and I find a pay phone, and thanking my mom for raising me to always carry change on me. Well, I call the apartment floor and Linc answered ‘cause he was in the hall waiting on Michael to show up. I’m crying begging him to not tell my mother I was with the jerk but to tell her to come get me and Linc was just so calm and asking where am I and well, long story short, Linc got his grandmother’s Oles and drove over there to get me.” 

V leans in and her hair brushes Sara’s cheek. Sara thinks how soft it is when V whispers like it’s a secret she’s sharing “He only had his learner’s license, but he came after me and never told on me. I’ve loved him ever since.” 

They picked up the nachos and beers and V waved her to a table. “Not to say we didn’t date other people, cause we broke up once when Linc’s grandmother died and he was going to school and working to keep the apartment and take care of Michael. Not that my seventeen year old self didn’t feel bad for him, but he was never around to take me to parties and things.” 

That’s when V gets a closed look about her and says to Sara, “That’s when I started dating Michael.”

Sara just looks back stunned. “I uh, I didn’t know that.” Sara feels a little, no make that a lot betrayed. 

“Why didn’t Michael tell me this?” Sara asked. It wouldn’t be a big thing if she hadn’t already suspected. “A few dates right? Took you to the school dance and pizza, right? But nothing happened?” 

V smiled at Sara, “Yeah, he asked me to not mention it.” She left the rest unanswered, which basically answered it. 

Sara looked up at V puzzled, “So why are you?”

V drops her nacho back into the cheesy mess between them and said, “Because I didn’t stop.”

Sara looked at her as the words slammed into her like the fist of Hulk. Then she felt like she was going to be sick. She had to get out of there. She had to go… somewhere else. Somewhere not here! Sara realizes she’s talking out loud and starts to stand but V reaches out and grabs her arm, 

“Wait, it’s not like that,” V says.

 

Sara sits back and pulls her arm away. Earlier V’s hand had felt nice, like a sister who loved her. Now this betrayal made her want to scratch her skin off!

“Then tell me how it’s like, V. Tell me how it’s not like you are sneaking around on your husband with his brother!” She whispers furiously, eyes feeling with contempt. 

V smiles, drops her hand back to the nachos and says casually, “Because there’s no sneaking. Linc knows. And now you do too.” 

Sara looks around but everything looks normal. How could this be happening?

“Oh and that makes it okay?” Sara leans forward to get into V’s face. “Because we know?! Just because Linc didn’t walk out after he found out…”

 

V interrupts Sara’s tirade calmly, “He knew all along.”

That sets Sara back. “What? What?”

 

Sara shakes her head and says, “Okay, so he knew? And he’s was just what? Okay with it?” Sara snorted. “ Not possible. Not Linc. This has to be a joke!”

V smiles at her and says, “No joke. Linc knows I love him and he knows I love Michael and he wouldn’t come between us.”

Sara tries to speak but her throat is dry. 

V continues, “and Michael wouldn’t come between Linc and me.”

Sara takes a swallow of beer and tries again. 

V continues, “And I wouldn’t come between them.”

“And I’m supposed to be okay with that?!” Sara finds her voice, albeit shaky, it’s there. “That you and my husband … love each other, but it’s oh so okay because your husband his brother is okay with it?! Well, I don’t think so!” Sara starts to get up.

V holds up her hand and says “Stop, We have not done anything since you two married. Michael really wanted it to work with you.”

Sara is too hurt and mad to be okay with just that assurance. Michael should have told her he had a past with V. If it was in the past, that is! 

“Oh, yeah, sure he did,” says Sara with tears threatening again. “That’s why this,” Sara waves her hand over the table, “is all past and okay and everyone knows so I am wrong to be hurt?! Is that it? Is that how you pictured this?”

 

“No,” V said calmly. “I heard you say you wanted to be with Michael, that you would do anything, so I told you the truth. And now you won’t even listen to his side?”

 

Sara’s eyes narrow. “His side or yours? Don’t you just want me to leave Michael alone so you can go back to…” Sara waves her hand over the table again, “this?!”

 

V sets her empty beer bottle down and says, “If you want to come over to the house and talk, we can do that.….”

V stands, gathers the trash and throws it away. She comes back to sit across from Sara. “I know this is a lot to take in…” 

Sara was so hurt and confused. “Maybe I should…go.” But she doesn’t move to leave and neither does V. She lets Sara sit there and think.

“Like I said, you can come over and talk if you want.” V finally said. Then she stood and waited on Sara. “Or I can take you back to your apartment now.”

Sara involuntarily shuttered at the mention of her … their apartment dammit, but was that because it now reminded her of Michael and his dishonesty or because she didn’t want to go back there alone? Sara sat there a moment trying to figure it out. 

She really needed to know what was going on. Or she really needed to be with Michael. Or she really hated that apartment because she nodded at V. 

 

V held out her hand to Sara and she took it. V led her to the place where Michael and Linc were bowling. She never let go of her hand. Maybe that was to keep her from running. Sara wasn’t sure, but she held on to V’s hand as much as V held hers.


	4. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's short, but I'm trying.

Mikey and Linc noticed the girls when they walking into the seating area. Their whispered argument was hushed immediately.   
Linc seen V holding Sara’s hand and said, “V…”  
V answered with, “I know, but she didn’t really want to run so I’m grounding her.   
Mikey came over and took Sara’s other hand and said “I’ve got her.”   
V let go and Sara couldn’t help but slide closer to Mikey and relax. All she cared about was that she was with Mikey, and she was safe. 

When they arrived at Linc’s and V’s apartment, Linc and V went to their room and Mikey lead Sara to the living room and offered a seat.   
“Would you like a drink?” he asked her pouring himself a shot.   
She said “No, I want to be clear-headed.”  
Mikey nodded and took his shot. “I guess V told you?”  
“That she’s cheating with Linc with you but it’s okay because Linc knows?” It came out bitterly, but Sara guessed she was still hurt.  
“Well, it’s more than that.” Mikey said. “Ummm, “  
“Just tell me,” Sara pleaded.   
“Weareallinarelationshiptogether.”  
Sara just looked at him blankly. “Wha?”  
Mikey rubbed his head and said “We are… or we were in a relationship. But not since I married you. “  
“You…you mean you and… not just V, but your brother?!” Sara felt nauseous.   
Mikey rubbed his head harder and turned away from Sara. “Yeah, I guess you hate me?”  
“No, what? I … I don’t …” Sara literally didn’t know what to say. “Can I thinking about this? “  
When Mikey stats to move, she reaches out for his hand, “Here. Please?”  
Mikey looks at her earnest face with shock. “Really?”  
Sarah reaches out and takes Mikey’s hand. “Yeah, I would rather be with you, no matter what.” She whispers then steps closer, “we can work this out. Please”  
Mickey tells her, “I know this has been a lot and you’ve been drinking,,,,”  
“Only 2 beers,1 Mikey. I know what I’m saying., “she answers stepping closer.  
Mikey takes a deep breath and says, “Let’s get you to bed. In the guest room…alone.”  
She leans in and says, “Not alone, Please Mikey. Just hold me again.”  
Mikey nods and wonders what his life has become as he leads her to the guest room.


End file.
